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Cherilyn Sarkisian
Cher (pronounced /ˈʃɛər/;1 born Cherilyn Sarkisian on May 20, 1946)2 is an American pop singer-songwriter, actress, director and record producer. She has won an Academy Award, a Grammy Award, an Emmy Award, three Golden Globe Awards and a People's Choice Award for her work in film, music and television. Cher began her career at the age of seventeen and came to prominence as one half of the pop rock duo Sonny & Cher with the success of their song "I Got You Babe" in 1965. She subsequently established herself as a solo recording artist, and became a television star in the 1970s with the variety show The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour, for which she won a Golden Globe Award. A well received performance in the film Silkwood earned her a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 1984. In the following years, Cher starred in a string of hit films3 including Mask, The Witches of Eastwick, and Moonstruck, for which she won the Academy Award for Best Actress in 1988. Cher is the only female solo artist to reach the Top Ten of the Billboard Hot 100 in each of the previous four decades.4 Her hit dance single "Believe" is her biggest-selling recording and was the best-selling single of 1999,5 having sold over 10 million copies worldwide.6 She holds the Hot 100 record for the longest hit-making career span, with 33 years between the release of her first and most recent #1 singles, in 1965 and 1998.7 Cher ended her 3-year-long "Farewell Tour" in 2005 as the second most successful tour by a female solo artist of all time.8 With a career lasting over 40 years, Cher has sold over 100 million records worldwide.910 After a three-year hiatus and retirement from touring, Cher returned to the stage in 2008 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas where she is currently performing her show Cher at the Colosseum. Early Years Cher was born in El Centro, California, on May 20, 1946, at 7:25 a.m. Her father, John Sarkisian, was an Armenian refugee who worked as a truck driver.11 Her mother, Georgia Holt (born Jackie Jean Crouch12 in Sharp County, Arkansas on June 20, 1927), an aspiring actress and occasional model, is of Cherokee, English and French descent. Cher's half sister is actress Georganne LaPiere.1314 Cher's parents divorced when she was young and she was raised primarily by her mother, who at one time was married to Gilbert LaPierre, a banker who adopted Cher.11 Due to financial problems, Cher's mother temporarily placed her in foster care. Later, her mother provided money for acting lessons to help further her career.15 Due to severe, undiagnosed dyslexia, she left Fresno High School at the age of 16.16 In those years Cher had a brief relationship with Warren Beatty.17 Career 1962–1964: Early career Sonny Bono (11 years her senior) was working for record producer Phil Spector at Gold Star Studios in Hollywood.17 Sonny and Cher became inseparable friends, eventual lovers, and later married. Through Sonny, Cher started as a session singer in 1963, and sang backup on several of Spector’s classic recordings, including The Righteous Brothers' "You've Lost That Loving Feeling", Darlene Love's "A Fine, Fine Boy," The Crystals' "Da Doo Ron Ron" and The Ronettes’ "Be My Baby". In the composition by Darlene Love, the listener can clearly hear Cher and Sonny close to the microphone (along with Love, who recorded her own backing vocals).17 Her first solo recording was the unsuccessful single "Ringo, I Love You",18 released under the pseudonym of Bonnie Jo Mason and produced by Phil Spector.17 Her second attempt was "Dream Baby," released under the name "Cherilyn" and written and produced by Sonny Bono. Both were released in 1964. With Sonny continuing to write, arrange and produce the songs, Sonny and Cher’s first incarnation was as the duo "Caesar and Cleo."192021 They received little attention, despite releasing the single "The Letter" in late 1964 which featured the B-side "Baby Don't Go".19 1965–1966: Career development Main article: Sonny & Cher Before being known as Sonny and Cher, the duo released an album under the name of "Caesar and Cleo." The first "Sonny and Cher" album, Look At Us, was released in the summer of 1965.22 This album contained the overnight smash single "I Got You Babe" which reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in August 1965.23 Cher was 19 years old, Sonny 30. A re-released "Baby Don't Go" peaked at #8.24 Several more mid-level hits followed, notably "Just You," "But You're Mine," "What Now My Love" and "Little Man", before "The Beat Goes On" returned the duo to the Top 10. Sonny and Cher charted eleven Billboard Top 40 hits between 1965 and 1972, including six Top 10 hits. The duo became a sensation, traveling and performing around the world. Following an appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show in the fall of 1965 in which Sullivan had infamously mispronounced her name 'Chur' during their introduction, the singer began spelling her name with a (misleading) acute accent: Chér. The couple soon appeared on other hit television shows of the era including American Bandstand, Top of the Pops, Hollywood A Go-Go, Podunk, Hollywood Palace, Hullabaloo, Beat Club, Ready Steady Go! and Shindig!.22 While initially perceived as the slightly awkward and less important half of the popular singing duo, Cher disguised her stage fright and nervousness with quick-witted barbs directed at her partner. She soon rose to prominence as the more outspoken, daring and provocative half of the team. With her dark, exotic looks, she became a fashion trendsetter, helping to popularize fashions such as bellbottoms25 and incorporating eccentric gowns, "hippie" attire and elaborate costumes into live shows. Later in 1965 Cher released her debut solo album, All I Really Want to Do, which reached #16 on the Billboard 200 album chart.26 The album's cover of the Bob Dylan song "All I Really Want to Do" peaked at #15 on the Billboard Hot 100.27 In 1966 Cher released her second solo album on the Imperial Records label, The Sonny Side of Cher. It peaked at #26 in the U.S. charts, and #11 in the UK chart. It contained the singles "Where Do You Go (#25 on the Billboard Hot 100), as well as "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)" (#2 on the Billboard Hot 100). Both hits were written and produced by Sonny Bono. In the United States, the latter was Cher's biggest solo hit of the 1960s. Other artists to record versions of the song include Frank Sinatra, Nancy Sinatra, Cliff Richard, Petula Clark, and Terry Reid. In 1966, she released another album, Cher; the album was not as successful as its two predecessors, but it did have the European Top 10 hit "Sunny". 1967–1969: Career woes In an attempt to capitalize on the duo’s initial success, Sonny speedily arranged a film project for the duo to star in. But the 1967 feature, Good Times, was a major bomb, despite the efforts of fledgling director William Friedkin and co-star George Sanders.28 Cher continued to establish herself as a solo artist and released the album Backstage. The album was a flop.29 Sonny and Cher's career had stalled by 1968 as album sales dried up. Their gentle, easy-listening rock folk sound and drug-free life had become "unhip" in an era becoming increasingly consumed with psychedelic rock, and the overall evolutionary change in the American pop culture landscape during the late 1960s. Sonny and Cher's only child together, Chaz Bono, was born Chastity Bono on March 4, 1969.30 The duo made another unsuccessful foray into film later in 1969 with Bono writing and producing the film Chastity, intended as a dramatic debut for Cher as an actress. That film (directed by first and only-time director Alessio De Paulo) was also a commercial failure.28 Sonny decided to forge ahead, carving a new career for the duo in Las Vegas resorts, where they sharpened their public persona with Cher as the wise-cracking singer, and Sonny as the good-natured recipient of her insults. In reality, Sonny controlled every aspect of their act, from the musical arrangements to the joke-writing. While success was slow to come, their luck improved when network TV talent scouts attended a show, noting their potential appeal for a variety series. 1970–1975: TV and musical stardom In 1970 Sonny and Cher starred in their first television special, The Sonny and Cher Nitty Gritty Hour.31 A mixture of slapstick comedy, skits and live music, the appearance was a critical success, which led to numerous guest spots on other television shows.31 Sonny and Cher caught the eye of CBS head of programming Fred Silverman while guest-hosting The Merv Griffin Show, and Silverman offered the duo their own variety show.32 The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour debuted in 1971 as a summer replacement series.32 The show returned to prime time later that year and was an immediate hit, quickly reaching the Top 10.32 The show received 15 Emmy Award nominations during its run, winning one for direction.33 Among the many guests who appeared on The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour were Chuck Berry, Carol Burnett, George Burns, Glen Campbell, Dick Clark, Tony Curtis, Bobby Darin, Phyllis Diller, Farrah Fawcett, Merv Griffin, The Jackson Five, Jerry Lee Lewis, Liberace, Steve Martin, Ronald Reagan, Burt Reynolds, Lynn Anderson, The Righteous Brothers, Neil Sedaka, Dinah Shore, Sally Struthers, The Supremes, and Raquel Welch.34 The duo revived its recording career, releasing four more albums for Kapp Records and MCA Records that included two more Top 10 hits: "All I Ever Need Is You", in 1971 and "A Cowboy's Work Is Never Done", in 1972.35 "Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves" Play sound "Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves" became Cher's first number one song, reaching number one in Canada and the USA. Problems listening to this file? See media help. Now 25, Cher continued to establish herself as a solo recording artist, enlisting the help of hit producer Snuff Garrett. Her first solo number-one hit was "Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves". Released in September 1971, the album of the same name peaked at #16 on the Billboard 200, and remained on the chart for 45 weeks.36 Another single from the album, "The Way of Love" peaked at #7 in March 1972.36 Cher scored her second number one with "Half-Breed" in 1973 which became a signature song from the gold-certified album of the same name.37 In 1974 Cher had her third #1 solo hit with "Dark Lady", also from the album of the same name.38 By the third season of the Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour, the marriage of Sonny and Cher was falling apart; the duo separated later that year.32 The show imploded, while still in the top 10 of the ratings.39 What followed was a nasty, very public divorce (finalized on June 27, 197540). Cher won a Golden Globe Award for Best Performance By an Actress in a Television Series - Musical or Comedy for The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour in 1974.41 Bono launched his own show, The Sonny Comedy Revue, in the fall of 19744243 while Cher also announced plans to host and star in a new variety TV series of her own. Bono’s show was abruptly canceled, however, after only six weeks.32 The couple would eventually reunite for two more seasons of their show.34 The Cher Show debuted as an elaborate, all-star television special on February 16, 1975 featuring Flip Wilson, Bette Midler and special guest Elton John.32 Cloris Leachman and Jack Albertson both won Emmy Awards for their appearances as guest stars a few weeks later,32 and the series received four additional Emmy nominations that year. Other guests included Pat Boone, David Bowie, Ray Charles, Dion, Patti Labelle, Cheryl Ladd, Wayne Newton, Linda Ronstadt, Lily Tomlin and Frankie Valli.44 The variety series' debut season ranked 22nd in the year-end Nielsen ratings.45 A good deal of press was generated throughout 1975 regarding Cher's exposed navel, and the daring ensembles created by famed designer Bob Mackie.32 Her show featured numerous outlandish costume changes, even more than typical variety shows. The Cher show ran for two half-seasons, before a pregnant Cher pulled the plug herself,46 deciding instead to reunite with her ex-husband for a revamped version of The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour.39 Three days after finalizing her divorce from Sonny, Cher married rock musician Gregg Allman,47 a founding member of the Allman Brothers Band, on June 30, 1975.48 They had one son, Elijah,47 in July 1976. Together, they released the album, Two the Hard Way, under the rubric Allman and Woman, which featured a cover of the Smokey Robinson hit "You've Really Got a Hold on Me".28 This project was not considered a critical or commercial success. They were divorced after two years of marriage.47 1976–1981: Solo career and misses From 1975 to 1978, Cher released a series of unsuccessful albums: Stars, I'd Rather Believe in You and Cherished.28 On February 2, 1976, The Sonny and Cher Show debuted with a Top 10 rating and high expectations.32 Some of the guests who appeared on The Sonny and Cher Show included Frankie Avalon, Muhammed Ali, Raymond Burr, Ruth Buzzi, Charo, Barbara Eden, Farrah Fawcett, Terri Garr, Bob Hope, Don Knotts, Jerry Lewis, Tony Orlando, The Osmonds, Debbie Reynolds, The Smothers Brothers, Tina Turner, Twiggy, and Betty White.4950 However, ratings soon fell, and the show was cancelled after its second season.32 In 1976, Mego Toys released a line of toys and dolls in the likeness of Sonny & Cher.51 The release of these fashion dolls coincided with the popularity of The Sonny & Cher Show.52 Their overall television success, though brief, was unique because variety programming in general, other than The Carol Burnett Show, was no longer attracting viewers.32 She made a brief return to prime time starring in the television specials Cher... Special, in 1978 (for which guest star Dolly Parton was nominated for an Emmy Award)5354 and Cher … and Other Fantasies in 1979.5556 One highlight for her fans was a song and dance number based on the classic musical West Side Story in which Cher portrayed each of the main characters.54 In 1979, she legally changed her name to Cher, with no surname or middle name.257 Sonny and Cher performed together for the last time on The Mike Douglas Show in the spring of 1979 (until their much-discussed 19875859 Letterman appearance), singing a medley of "United We Stand" and "Without You".60 Later in 1979, Cher would capitalize on the disco craze, signing with Casablanca Records, and racking up another Top-10 single with "Take Me Home". Sales of the album Take Me Home may have been boosted by the image of a scantily-clad Cher in a Viking outfit on the album’s cover. The album was RIAA-certified Gold.37 For her second Casablanca release, Prisoner, Cher appeared on the album's cover virtually naked and wrapped in chains, spurring controversy among some women's rights groups for her perceived "sex slave" image.61 This album produced the minor hit single "Hell on Wheels" and the tune was also featured in the film Roller Boogie.62 In 1980, Cher penned her last disco song for the film Foxes, called "Bad Love." Later in the same year, Cher formed the rock band Black Rose with her then-partner, guitarist Les Dudek, and released the album Black Rose.63 The album failed to sell, despite an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, and the band broke up the following year.31 In 1981, Cher released her first Top 5 hit in UK in ten years: "Dead Ringer for Love", a duet with Meat Loaf for his album Dead Ringer.64 In 1982 Cher released I Paralyze, promoting it on American Bandstand and The Tonight Show, but critics panned the album and sales were disappointing.65 1982–1987: Film stardom and musical breakout With album sales and hit singles again at a standstill, Cher decided to expand her career into serious film acting. Her earliest entertainment ambitions had always lain in film, as opposed to music. Her earlier films, like Good Times and Chastity, had been poorly received. She soon found herself in an uphill battle trying to land credible roles for a woman now in her mid-30s with little acting experience. At the time, she was quoted as saying that she didn’t really care if she ever made another record. In 1982, Cher landed her first major role in a Broadway production of Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean.66 That same year, she was cast in the film version, which was directed by Robert Altman and earned her a Golden Globe nomination.67 She was next cast alongside Meryl Streep and Kurt Russell in the drama Silkwood (1983) in which she played Streep’s blue-collar lesbian roommate. She received her first Academy Award nomination, as Best Supporting Actress. She also won the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress - Motion Picture for her performance.68 Cher's next film was a starring role in Mask in 1985, directed by Peter Bogdanovich. The film also starred Eric Stoltz, Laura Dern, Estelle Getty and Sam Elliott. It opened at #3 at the box office69 and was considered her first critical and commercial success as a leading actress. For her role as a mother of a severely disfigured boy, Cher won the Best Actress prize at the Cannes Film Festival and received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a Motion Picture Drama.70 In 1985, Cher was honored with Harvard University's Hasty Pudding Woman of the Year Award.71 On May 22, 1986 Cher made her first appearance on Late Night with David Letterman.72 In her pre-interview with the show's producers, Cher had referred to host David Letterman with a derogatory term when asked why she had previously declined to appear on his program. He later confronted her about this on air during their interview, asking why she had refused so many earlier invitations. As she thought of an appropriate answer, he pushed her further saying, "Because you thought..." to which she replied "You were an asshole.73 She received a mixture of boos and laughter from the audience for the remark; however, Letterman quickly played off the incident as just fun. This was not the only time a chat show clash like this occurred. In 2001 Cher was interviewed by British talk show host and television presenter Clive Anderson. Anderson asked her, "Wow, Cher, you look like a million dollars... is that how much it cost?".74 Cher returned to Late Night With David Letterman in an appearance on November 13, 1987,5859 this time with ex-husband Sonny Bono, reuniting to sing "I Got You, Babe" for what would be the last time. She has since made multiple appearances on Letterman's CBS show. In 1987 Cher starred in three films. She was cast as Alexandra, the female lead in the dark comedy/fantasy film The Witches of Eastwick with Jack Nicholson, Susan Sarandon and Michelle Pfeiffer. She played a lawyer in the thriller Suspect opposite Dennis Quaid, and starred in the romantic comedy Moonstruck, which co-starred Nicolas Cage and Olympia Dukakis and was directed by Norman Jewison. For her performance as a frumpy bookkeeper in Moonstruck, she won the 1987 Academy Award for Best Actress. She also won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Musical/Comedy, and the People's Choice Award for Favorite Female Star.70 Personal Life Marriages and relationships Cher had a relationship with actor Warren Beatty when she was a teenager.17 Sonny Bono and Cher first met in 1962. They claimed to have been married as early as 1963, and had a wedding ceremony in Tijuana, Mexico on October 27, 1964. Their only child is Chaz Bono, previously called Chastity Bono,103 born on March 4, 1969.104 Sonny and Cher divorced on June 27, 1975 after 13 years together. The divorce resulted in the cancellation of The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour. Later that year, Cher married her second husband, rock star Gregg Allman. Their son, Elijah Blue Allman of the band Deadsy, was born on July 10, 1976. They separated in 1977 and divorced two years later. Between Bono and Allman, Cher revealed that she had a fling with Elvis Presley while they were performing in Las Vegas, but rejected him when he asked her up to his room because she was nervous about spending the night with him. In February 2008, Cher stated on Good Morning America that she deeply regrets turning him down.105 In the interview, she also claimed to have been asked out by Marlon Brando during a plane ride.105 Cher was also involved with record executive David Geffen, Kiss bassist Gene Simmons, and senior account manager Garreth Crawford.106 In the 1980s, Cher dated several younger men including actors Tom Cruise107 and Val Kilmer, Josh Donen, as well as Rob Camilletti, the 22-year-old bagel baker whom she met on her 40th birthday and lived with for three years.108 It was widely speculated in the tabloid press that the couple were planning to marry, but this never occurred. Cher was involved with Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora for two years in the early 1990s, and was also linked to musicians Eric Clapton and Mark Hudson.17 Personal wealth Cher owns several pieces of real estate, including homes in Aspen, Colorado, USA, and London, UK, and maintains a home in Malibu, California, USA, which she listed for sale in 2008 at $45 million.109 In April 2006 it was reported that Cher had purchased a condominium in the Sierra Towers in West Hollywood, California, for $3.5 million.110 In July 2006 it was announced that Cher, in conjunction with Sotheby's and Julien's Auctions, was planning to auction about 800 of her personal possessions from her Italian Renaissance-themed Malibu estate, including numerous antiques, art collectibles, paintings, career memorabilia, furniture (including her bed) as well as numerous pieces of jewelry, clothing, stage costumes, gowns, a 2003 Hummer H2 and her 2005 Bentley. The event, which took place October 3–5, 2006, in Beverly Hills, California, raised $3.3 million. Cher had said a large percentage of the proceeds will benefit the Cher Charitable Foundation.111 Cher reportedly received $180 million for mounting her comeback at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.112 As a gay icon The reverence held for Cher by members of the gay community has been attributed to her accomplishments in her career, her sense of style and her longevity.113 Alec Mapa of The Advocate elaborates: "While the rest of us were sleeping, Cher's been out there for the last four decades living out every single one of our childhood fantasies...Cher embodies an unapologetic freedom and fearlessness that some of us can only aspire to."113 Cher has often been imitated by drag queens.114 Thomas Rogers of Salon magazine commented that "drag queens imitate women like Judy Garland, Dolly Parton and Cher because they overcame insult and hardship on their path to success, and because their narratives mirror the pain that many gay men suffer on their way out of the closet."114 Cher's performance as a lesbian in the film Silkwood as well as her transition to dance music and social activism in recent years has further contributed to her becoming a gay icon.115 Her child, Chaz Bono, who was born female,103 first came out as a lesbian at the age of seventeen, which caused Cher feelings of "guilt, fear and pain".115 However, Cher soon came to accept Chaz's sexual orientation, and came to the conclusion that LGBT people "didn't have the same rights as everyone else, she thought that was unfair".116 She was the keynote speaker for the 1997 national Parents, Families, & Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) convention.115116 Cher has since become one of the gay community's most vocal advocates. As of June 11, 2009, Chaz Bono came out as a transgender individual, and his transition to male was legally finalized on May 7, 2010.117 In 1998 Cher was honored with a GLAAD Media Award (Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) and in November 1999, The Advocate named Cher one of the '25 Coolest Women'.118 In October 2005 the Bravo program Great Things About Being... declared Cher "the number one greatest thing about being gay."119 William J. Mann, author of Gay Pride: A Celebration of All Things Gay and Lesbian, comments "we'll be dancing to a ninety-year-old Cher when we're sixty. Just watch".120 The NBC sitcom Will & Grace acknowledged her status by making her the idol of gay character Jack McFarland.121 Cher guest-starred as herself twice on the sitcom, in 2000 and 2002.121 In 2000 Cher made a cameo on the show, in which Jack believed her to be a drag queen, and said he could "do" a better Cher himself. In 2002 she played God in Jack's imagined version of Heaven.121 Political interests Unlike her late ex-husband Sonny Bono, Cher has always been a staunch Democrat. She has attended and performed at Democratic Party conventions and events. Today, she considers herself a Democrat by default, but more of an Independent. Cher has always defined herself as an anti-war activist; she demonstrated against the Vietnam War, and the video for "Turn Back Time" in 1989 was sometimes interpreted as an admonition against the army: "Make love, not war."122 On October 27, 2003 Cher anonymously called a C-SPAN phone-in program. She recounted a visit she had made to maimed soldiers at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center and criticized the lack of media coverage and government attention given to injured servicemen.123 She also remarked that she watches C-SPAN every day. Though she simply identified herself as an unnamed entertainer with the USO, she was recognized by the C-SPAN host, who subsequently questioned her about her 1992 support for independent presidential candidate Ross Perot. Back from her last tour in Europe, Cher declared that Europeans had a very bad image of Americans, mostly because of the Bush administration. "Europeans see us as the real terrorists since this stupid war in Iraq and because of all the innocent civilians that were killed within the first ...somehow they're right." She shared the stage with Muhammad Muhammad in N.Y.C, an American actor who used to tell stories about the changes in American Muslims' lives since 9/11. On Memorial Day weekend in 2006 she called in again, endorsing Operation Helmet, an organization started by a doctor that provides helmet upgrade kits free of charge to troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as to those ordered to deploy in the near future. She identified herself as a caller from Malibu, California, and proceeded to complain about the current presidential administration. She read aloud a letter from a soldier on the ground in Iraq, praising Operation Helmet's efforts, and decrying the lack of protection afforded by the military's provisions for troops.124 Cher appeared on The Ed Schultz Show in May 2006 to discuss her work in support of U.S. troops fighting abroad, as well as returning veterans. Schultz noted her involvement with both Operation Helmet and the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund, which is constructing an advanced training skills facility at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas. The center will serve military personnel who have been catastrophically disabled in operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, and those severely injured in other operations, as well as in the normal performance of their duties, combat and non-combat related. During the interview with Schultz, Cher again said she is an independent. Her comments about the current political scene in the U.S. led him to interject, "You're fed up with everybody", to which she replied, "I really am. I couldn't be a Republican 'cause I think I believe in too many services for poor people, but I'm fed up with the Democrats. I just think...you're gonna find all their spines where you find the elephant's graveyard." Toward the end of the interview, Schultz asked Cher what she thinks about today's protest songs. She responded, "You know, I think it's the duty of artists to say what they want, in favor or in opposition. Unfortunately, I think that, with Bush administration, you haven't been able to really voice any opposition because of 9/11, if you say anything opposed to the administration, somehow they've been able to wrap themselves in the flag, so that if you have any opposing viewpoint, you're unpatriotic." She was about to offer her thoughts on this, but stopped, saying, "I don't know what you can say on your program, so I won't talk the way I normally talk. I don't like it...it rubs me the wrong way. And if I could say all those seven words," referring to George Carlin's Seven dirty words routine about profane language, "that's what I'd be saying." Cher supported Hillary Clinton in her Presidential campaign, as she noted on Entertainment Tonight in February 2008. Clinton, in return, said she was thrilled to have Cher's support. After Barack Obama won the Democratic nomination, Cher supported his candidacy on radio and TV programs, including a November 3 appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. Cher is still involved with Operation Helmet, and appeared with Dr. Bob Meaders (founder of Operation Helmet) on C-SPAN again on June 14, 2006. She then appeared with him on Capitol Hill on June 15, 2006. It has been reported that Cher has so far donated over US$130,000 to Operation Helmet.125 Humanitarian work Cher said in 2010, "I've played around with Buddhism for years." She is a devotee of Pema Chödrön, an American Buddhist nun.126 Cher has been involved with many humanitarian groups and charity efforts over the years. After appearing in the movie Mask, she served as National Chairperson and Honorary Spokesperson of the Children’s Craniofacial Association. Over the years while touring, she frequently donated concert tickets to families and non-profit groups for children and youth with facial deformities. In 1993 Cher participated in a humanitarian effort to Armenia (her father was the child of Armenian refugees), bringing much needed food and medical supplies.127 In 1998 she co-hosted the annual Amfar AIDS Benefit at the Cannes Film Festival with Elizabeth Taylor. She is also the namesake of the Cher Charitable Foundation, which donates funds to various charities and causes close to her heart. Image and Enduring Popularity Cher’s lasting legacy in popular culture has long been disputed. She has stated of herself that "singers don’t consider me a singer and actors don't consider me an actor," despite her achievements in both arenas. She is highly respected for her considerable career longevity and ability to bounce back when critics have long written her off. She has also been quoted as saying, "Some years I'm the hottest thing, and the next year, people are so over me."needed She has described herself as a "hit and miss artist" and "more of a stylist than a musician."needed Fan base Cher has a very large and devoted fan base. Their devotion is evidenced through the biennial Cher Convention that began in Chicago in 2000 when her song "Believe" reached number one. The event was held in Las Vegas in 2002 and 2004, Los Angeles in 2006, and in 2008 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Las Vegas convention coincided with the beginning of Cher's second run at Caesars Colosseum.91 All convention proceeds went to the Children's Craniofacial Association, a 501©3, for which Cher is the National Spokesperson. The Cher Expo, a biennial event that began in 2007, brings Cher fans together for a two-night, one-day event. All expo proceeds go to a non-profit charity. The 2009 Cher Expo in Atlanta, Georgia, will benefit "Keep a Child Alive." Influence In her early career Cher was a fashion trend-setter, popularizing long straight hair, bell-bottoms and an exposed midriff. She is noted as being one of the first females to expose her bellybutton on television.43 She stepped that up a notch in 1989 when she boarded the U.S. Navy's USS Missouri ship in thong and fishnets for the "If I Could Turn Back Time" music video, becoming one of the first videos by a mainstream pop artist to be banned by MTV (after the video was banned, it grew to mass popularity, forcing MTV to play the video after 9 p.m.). Through her 1970s television shows she became a sex symbol and pushed the censors with her revealing outfits and creative ensembles, frequently designed by Bob Mackie. She has also inspired many celebrities who have noted her as being a major influence on them, such as Britney Spears,128 Beyonce Knowles,129 Tracy Chapman,128 Oprah Winfrey, Cyndi Lauper, Gene Simmons, Meryl Streep, Anastacia and Rosie O'Donnell.130 In July 1999 Cher ranked 43rd on VH1’s 100 Greatest Women of Rock & Roll poll and in September 2002 ranked 26th on VH1’s 100 Sexiest Artists.131 She has appeared on the cover of People magazine thirteen times.132 In a 2007 poll, A&E's Biography magazine ranked her as the third favorite actress of all time behind two of her Hollywood idols, Katharine Hepburn and Audrey Hepburn.132 Discography